A Potted History of the HEMP Embassy

The Nimbin Hemp Embassy, established in 1992, actively advocates the reintegration of the hemp plant into people’s lives.

In the 1930’s Hemp was thrust aside in the rush to embrace the emerging synthetics industry, and in the desire to overtake the old hemp industry altogether, they threw out the baby with the bathwater with a deluge of negative publicity. After the failed experiment in alcohol prohibition, the movement was left with the prohibition of other drugs as a consolation prize, and which also just happened to allow a small group of pharmaceutical companies to gain a monopoly on medical drug production and pricing.

We feel that Hemp has been demonised by industrial competitors and venal politicians for their own advantage, depriving humanity of a very useful plant, which, in the drug context, is far less harmful than alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, or even pharmaceutical antidepressants.

The HEMP Embassy runs an information centre/paraphernalia shop in Nimbin all year round to fund our protest against Cannabis laws. This is staffed by volunteers who live locally, or are on an extended visit.

Every year, on the first weekend in May, we have the Nimbin MardiGrass Cannabis Law Reform Rally. To do this takes lots of volunteers who live locally or are attending the MardiGrass. We have volunteers from all over the world who come to help make MardiGrass possible. It is fantastic to see. Feel free to come and join in.

If you feel you have special skills that could help the cause, or see a need that is not catered for, then please communicate and contribute. Send us your hemp related writings or art!